


want and love you

by mxgicxltrxgedy



Series: Small Town Newsies High School AU [2]
Category: Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fluff, Healthy Communication, M/M, all can be read by themselves but share continuity so yeah, and reminder, small town high school au, stand alone but exists in a universe of mine, this is a Southern small town high school au, too ooc? i don't care
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:53:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24160873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mxgicxltrxgedy/pseuds/mxgicxltrxgedy
Summary: Race and Spot have a little night out and talk about things."You got more left to lose if we start acting like this out there."
Relationships: Spot Conlon/Racetrack Higgins
Series: Small Town Newsies High School AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1743565
Comments: 2
Kudos: 32





	want and love you

The sleeping bag helped to make the bed of the truck a little more comfortable to lay down in. The pillows Race grabbed from the basement of his house he knew his mom wouldn’t miss also didn’t hurt. Race and Spot had their heads on the body pillow and were just enjoying the cool air. Soon it would be too cold to go out like this- David would probably argue that it was _already_ too cold to be laying out in the bed of a truck for the night- but Race and Spot didn’t mind the October air as much as he did. They were each bundled in sweatpants and hoodies, with one sleeping bag unzipped under them to soften the metal and another one over top of them to keep in the warmth.

Spot and Race planned this little ‘camp out’ (not really, as soon as it was getting too late, they would head back to Race’s house to sleep) last week. Spot picked him up, and Race brought the snacks and drinks. They pulled into the parking lot for the dock of the lake. Late at night the only other people who were parked were people who paid for a plot of the nearby campground to pitch tents for the night or the weekend. It was getting a little late in the season to be camping, so there were only two other vehicles in the parking lot. 

Over the sound of the water from the lake running, Spot had his phone hooked up to a bluetooth speaker and was playing some music; Race would recognize maybe every other song that played. Race had his head laying on Spot’s chest, and Spot had a hand in Race’s hair rubbing his fingers against Race’s scalp. It was enough to turn Race to butter, especially as the night was growing late.

Race dug his nose into Spot’s sweatshirt with a hum. Spot increased the grip around Race’s shoulders. “I’m glad we made it out here.” 

“Me too.” Spot breathed. “I wanted to do it before it got too cold, and considering Halloween’s in a few weeks, I figured we needed to do it soon.”

Race perked up at the mention of Halloween, his favorite holiday and the chance to dress up in a random costume. “What are you wearing to David and Sarah’s party? I think I’m going as a classic nerd.”

Spot laughed. “So you’re just gonna show up without a costume? What would Les say?”

Race huffed and shoved his chin a little harder into Spot’s chest, something he hated. Spot squirmed expectantly. 

“I don’t know yet. I’m gonna have to see what I have in my closet, then I’ll get back to you.”

Race placed a kiss on Spot’s shoulder and relaxed his head back on his chest. He felt so content when he was with Spot, when he was without restraint and without fear of who would see them together. Race’s fear wasn’t even a fear of homophobic people or getting beat up in the parking lot. They hadn’t told anyone about their relationship and they didn’t want to have that big conversation happen if they’re friends saw a chaste kiss or a hug that lasted too long. For the past few months Race was content with just having Spot, but now he wanted the others to know that he had Spot. Sure, Race himself would have to hide in fear of getting kicked out of the house more so than Spot would, but it was hard to hang out with everybody and not clamber into Spot’s lap when there weren’t enough seats rather than taking the place on the floor between his legs.

“Hey, Spot?” Race mumbled, half hoping that Spot wouldn’t hear him. He didn’t want to ruin the night with open communication like healthy relationship partners.

“Hmm?” Spot answered, turning a little so he was laying on his side and facing Race, although his eyes were closed with his head resting on the pillow. 

“I love you,” Race said. It was a little way to chicken out but it wasn’t the first time they told each other that. It was actually pretty soon after they got together that they said it. Race didn’t have any reservations about saying what he felt, and he was happy Spot didn’t either.

“I love you too, Racer.” Spot opened his eyes and looked at Race. There was a small smile on his face, and Race couldn’t help but smile back. Spot leaned over and gave Race a kiss- not chaste in any way but loving. It made Race feel loved and content. Spot pulled away as fast as he came, and put his head back on the pillow. 

Race reveled in the feeling and the silence, before asking the question that’s been on his mind for the past month. “Can we tell the guys about us?” 

The guys: Jack, Crutchie, David, Specs, Katherine, Sarah, Albert, their friends. The people they hung out with more than their own families and who knew more about each other than anyone else in the world. Each had their closer friendships or relationships but they all were friends and _family_ . It’s been hard to not tell Jack about why he was so tired during their physics class from staying up all night with Spot or when Specs invited him out to Taco Bell after school when he already had a date planned with Spot and he said he had to babysit his nephew which was a _lie_.

Spot’s smile fell a little. “What do you mean?”

Race rolled his eyes, but he wasn’t mad. A little annoyed, and a little frustrated, but emotions that have been piling up and not anything he would blame on Spot. 

“I mean when can I say to Jack or Romeo or whoever that I was out hanging with my boyfriend, Spot, last night? Or that the reason we don’t want anyone tagging along to the movie we’re seeing is because we’re on a date?”

Spot darted his eyes like he did when he was uncomfortable. Race reached out for his hand and linked their fingers together with a squeeze. Race didn’t want to be on the offensive. He just wanted to talk, and he didn't want Spot to feel like he needed to be on the defensive. They were both quick to anger and prone to fighting and arguing with people, and he didn’t want this conversation to go to that.

Spot licked his lips then opened his mouth to speak. “I … wouldn’t mind it if our friends knew, honestly. I get worried sometimes though.”

Race didn’t want to prod him, but he wanted to know what was on Spot’s mind anyway. He didn’t say anything, but gave Spot a look, one with raised eyebrows and a head tilt. 

“I’m not worried about my family knowing about you, because no one could honestly get in touch with my grandma to tell her about us. But, I don’t want anything to happen to you. I know your brother-in-law goes to school with us. And that the Daniel kid in my English class works with your mom. You got more left to lose if we start acting like this out there.”

Spot’s hand left Race’s to gesture out of the truck bed. Part of Race knew exactly where Spot was coming from. Was he likely to get kicked out if his parents found out he was dating a guy? Yeah, probably. It was something Race didn’t like to think about because, despite all the shit his parents put him through, he still wanted them in his life. And yeah, his sister’s husband’s brother was in their grade, and could easily tattle if he felt so inclined (Race’s brother-in-law could just mention a boy without malice and suddenly he was in deep shit). Also, Daniel in Spot’s English class would probably act the same: just fall in line with some small talk with Race’s mom at work and mention a _boyfriend_ then suddenly the bubble is burst.

But Race also knew that if they told the guys that they wouldn’t say anything to anyone else; they respected their privacy and their _safety_ more than that. They would also be supportive, and a little teasing. But there would be more of the feeling of being open and honest. Race wanted to not care about holding Spot’s hand in Specs’s basement, or talking about anniversaries or sweet things Spot did to Kath. 

“We don’t have to act like this out there.” Race told him gently. “We don’t have to cuddle up in the hallways, or do #mancrushmonday on Instagram. I just want our friends to know. I want them to know that you’re my boyfriend and that I love you. I trust them, and you can’t lie and say that you don’t too.”

They hadn’t really talked about using the word ‘boyfriend’, but Race used the best word he had because they had already said ‘ _I love you_ ’ months ago- he didn’t think simply ‘dating’ would suffice. Race knew this wasn’t what Spot had in mind for their camp out tonight, and Race didn’t expect this conversation to come up right now, but he’d been thinking about it for a few weeks and he’s glad he’s brought it up.

Spot looked a little at ease, but his shoulders still haven’t relaxed and he was still a little tense. “I love you too.”

Spot paused and wrapped his arms around Race’s middle again, pulling him closer so that they were chest to chest. They were so close that they had to tilt their necks back so they weren’t kissing, or tucking their faces into the others shoulders. Spot tilted his head back so he could look Race in the eyes. He took a deep breath. “We… can tell them. I don’t know if I’ll be, like, fully comfortable showing it around them, but I do love you, and if you think you’ll be okay, then I’m okay with them knowing.”

Race’s jaw dropped, then he attacked Spot in a hug, climbing on top of him and pecking him with kisses all over his face. As soon as Spot recognized what was happening, he began laughing. His hands went more deliberately at Race’s waist, digging his fingers in between his ribs to make him laugh, which he did. 

Race’s arms couldn’t hold him up over Spot anymore because he was being tickled. With the advantage Spot had, he flipped them over (with minimal creaking from the truck under them) so he was hovering over top of Race. His fingers stopped soon enough, because tickling can become tortuous after too long- and because he just wants to look at his boyfriend.

Race has his head resting on the pillow he brought, and he was still smiling, but he was trying to catch his breath from all the laughter. Spot really did love his guy. Race and Spot had been in each other’s lives before they were a couple, and in retrospect, Spot was sure he loved Race before they got together or before Spot thought of Race as a romantic partner. Now, looking down at the beautiful boy he got the opportunity to love and be open with and kiss and share McDonald’s milkshakes with, Spot was so happy that he was here, and content with all the things that brought him here. 

Race’s giggles subsiding brought Spot back to where he was. Spot was still holding himself above Race, and saw Race look over him.

“Okay, we need to make out, like, yesterday,” Race stated. Spot breathed out a laugh, but didn’t hesitate to oblige him.

* * *

Specs and Jack were currently hiding out under the bleachers in the gym. Not because either of them were trying to avoid doing the activities for the day (dodgeball maybe? Kickball? He wasn’t listening when class was starting) but rather because he and Jack had this test in Trig and needed to study for it then play around for an hour.

They each had their math books in front of them, and were looking over their notes, asking each other for help or an explanation every so often, but mostly keeping to themselves. 

Specs felt his phone buzz in his pocket, but ignored it. It was probably Romeo texting him back, but he really needed to study, so he could wait until after gym class finished and he was on his way to lunch. He was back into going over his notes when Jack spoke up.

“Race texted something in the group chat.” Specs looked up and saw Jack with his notebook in his lap, but both his hands and eyes were preoccupied on his phone. 

“What’d he say?”

“He said he had a Boot Too Big he didn’t understand and wants to see if we get it.” Ah, the wonderful Boot Too Big. Race and Albert were avid on the Boot Too Big subreddit where each post was one of a simple pattern: the original being _‘Roses are red, sugar is sweet, he boot too big for his gotdamn feet’_. Specs did find a lot of them funny, and either Race or Albert would share them with the group chat, along with other memes from everyone. Their group chat really was a mess.

“What is it?”

Jack set his phone down on his notebook, but left it open and unlocked. “I don’t know, he hasn’t sent it yet.”

Specs pulled his phone out of his pocket and unlocked it, going straight for the notification from Race.

> **Race: Hey I saw this boot too big on reddit but I don’t get it and didn’t know if it was supposed to be something?**

Specs typed back a quick response. 

> **Specs: Send it bud**

After a few seconds he saw the dots that meant Race was typing back. Specs tried to remember which class Race was in for him to be out on his phone, but he couldn’t remember before his thought was interrupted with Race’s next message.

> **Race: Okay, it says ‘Roses are red, the Earth is rotating’**
> 
> **Race: Then this is the picture**
> 
> **Race: [image]**

Specs clicked the image before it fully loaded, but his mouth dropped when it did. The picture was a picture of Race and Spot, which wouldn’t be surprised considering Race’s selfie addiction; however, the two in the picture were kissing. Specs brain felt like it wasn’t cooperating. He tried to think about the two, and then the two of them together. He didn’t think he noticed anything different, but then again, maybe he wasn’t paying close enough attention? He knew that both individually like guys, but so did a lot of people in their friend group?

“Are they together?” Jack asked, and Specs glanced up at him to see him looking at his phone with furrowed brows.

Specs phone vibrated in his hands. 

> **Crutchie: y’all are dating???? since when???**

Another two texts came in shortly after.

> **Sarah: Yes, share with the class please.**
> 
> **Albert: wtf**

“Oh my God.” Specs said with realization. When Jack looked back over to him, he said the joke: “Roses are red, the Earth is rotating, Spot and Race are dating.”

Jack laughed at that. “Okay, that’s kinda funny.”

> **Spot: When you said you were going to tell them today I didn’t think you were gonna do it like this jesus christ**
> 
> **Mush: honey, you’ve got some ‘splainin to do**
> 
> **Davey: I knew it. I fucking knew it! I swear to G-d I knew it and the fact I knew it gave me a bunch of serotonin.**
> 
> **Davey: Thanks for that.**
> 
> **Davey: Happy for you two**

**Author's Note:**

> Another little addition to my small town high school newsies au. I don't know if I'll write anything more for it- I've mostly been going to my old drafts for this little series but it's here! (Maybe if I want to continue on it I'll write something not-Sprace related, but we'll see how that goes).
> 
> My tumblr is @we-were-both-born-today if you want to find me but I'm not super active on there so apologies.
> 
> Hope you like it!


End file.
